The
Lake Como paddle steamer Concordia is pictured entering Como
astern in early July 2002. Built in 1927 by Odero of Genoa and
originally named XXVIII Ottobre to commemorate the date of
Mussolini's march on Rome, Concordia is one of only two excursion
paddlers on the lake and the only one currently operational, her
sister, Patria, having been out of service for many years
awaiting a decision on her future. A third former paddler,
Milano, survives in regular service as a propeller driven vessel
having lost her paddles but not her sponsons in the 1920s.

A
beautiful day on a charming steamer. Concordia is 54m long, 12m
in the beam and has been little used on public excursions in
recent years. However, 2002 has been quite a good summer for her
with regular sailings offered on most Thursdays and some Sundays
during the peak weeks.

The
traditional bridge with two engine room telegraphs connected by a
rod so that they both always issue exactly the same instructions
to the engineer. This cannot always be said to be the case with
telegraphs on bridge wings connected by wires if the wires have
become slack allowing the one telegraph to drag the other behind
it one order out! Concordia's telegraphs are also liberal with
their instructions, the captain having the wide choice of adagio
(slow) and normale (full) for ahead and astern together with
fermo (stop).

The
engine is triple expansion with flexible couplings on the main
crankshaft similar to those fitted on Kingswear Castle and the
boiler, which was new in 1977, is oil fired.

Rope
lasoing on one of the many tiny piers around the lake.

The
main saloon is well appointed with leather upholstery but it was
little used on the day I sailed on the ship with most passengers
preferring to have lunch and snacks in the deck saloon above.

Although
in some ways similar to the Swiss paddlers, Concordia has a
different feel about her and there is a definitely Italian
atmosphere aboard. If you can time a visit to Como to coincide
with one of her summer sailings, I would very much recommend a
trip. Watching the stunning mountain scenery glide by with a
glass of wine in one hand, a swirl of spaghetti alla carbonara on
a fork in the other and the comforting flap, flap, flap of the
paddle beat in the background must be counted as one of life's
greatest and most civilised pleasures!